Dartmouth police seek charges in attack on Rep. Markey

Thursday

Mar 14, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 14, 2013 at 2:41 PM

DARTMOUTH — A police report filed by state Rep. Chris Markey identifies David J. Oliveira, of 24 Merrymount Drive in Dartmouth, as the man he says assaulted him outside the Cushman Elementary School Saturday.

CURT BROWN

DARTMOUTH — A police report filed by state Rep. Chris Markey identifies David J. Oliveira, of 24 Merrymount Drive in Dartmouth, as the man he says assaulted him outside the Cushman Elementary School Saturday.

The police report also says Oliveira, 44, in a profanity-laced attack, confronted Markey, who was at a basketball clinic for one of his children, because he blamed him for Oliveira not getting a state job.

Markey "told Mr. Oliveira that he did not make him not get the state job he wanted," according to Officer Nancy C. Thibodeau's report.

The report then goes on to state "Mr. Oliveira in a very angry, agitated state began swearing at Mr. Markey and poked his finger into Mr. Markey's chest," later shoving him into the school wall.

"When (Markey) landed against the wall, he felt something happen in his chest and back," the report said.

Markey, 45, told police he suffered a collapsed right lung and possible rib fracture and was hospitalized for two days. The two-term Democratic legislator represents the 9th Bristol District, which includes Dartmouth and part of New Bedford.

Dartmouth police filed documents Wednesday in New Bedford District Court seeking a complaint against Oliveira for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, causing serious bodily injury, a 15-year felony.

Three sources confirmed to The Standard-Times that Oliveira is a former member of the board of the directors for the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, where he served for six years, including one year as chairman.

He also has a long history of working as an advocate for high-profile elected officials including the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, as well as the administrations of former mayors Scott Lang and Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.

After he was initially shoved, Markey — who was outside the school taking a phone call — said he saw an elderly couple and asked "Did you see that?" Thibodeau wrote in her report.

"Mr. Markey said that when he said that to the couple, Mr. Oliveira had him pinned up against the wall with Mr. Oliveira in his face. Mr. Oliveira then said to Mr. Markey 'You little lawyer (expletive), and your little lawyer need to have a witness, you (expletive)," the report said. According to the police report, Oliveira initially told Markey "Let's settle this like men" and "slammed" the lawmaker's back into the school's corrugated steel wall. Markey told police he had his hands in his coat pocket when Oliveira rushed him.

After the first attack, as Markey walked to the school gym door, he told police he "tried to talk to Mr. Oliveira to calm him down" because he did not want the girls in the gym to witness the confrontation.

Markey, according to the report, said when he got to the gym door, Oliveira grabbed his left shoulder and tried to push him around. Markey, according to the report, said he spun around facing Oliveira, "who dipped his right shoulder into Mr. Markey's left chest area and pinned him up against the corner of the building and the chain link fence."

The report says Markey eventually was able to pull away from Oliveira and enter the gym.

Markey told police that as time went on, the pain worsened in his chest and, when it became difficult to breathe, he was transported to the hospital.

Thibodeau's report states that Markey says there are photos of his injuries; it also says "the identity of the witness is being sought by the gentleman who was running the basketball clinic."

Thibodeau said she went to Oliveira's home seeking a statement but he was not there and she left a message with a female who answered the door. She said she later received a phone call from Oliveira's lawyer, Frank Camera, who said his client would not be giving a statement.

Camera did not return two phone calls from The Standard-Times.

Oliveira drove past a Standard-Times reporter who had gone to his Dartmouth home Wednesday afternoon. He then drove into his garage, closed the garage door and did not answer two rings at his front door.

Four calls left on Oliveira's cellphone and at his home between Tuesday night and Wednesday were not returned.

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